Education B Class In North-East: Educationists

SHILLONG, Feb 6: It may come as a shock but it is a fact and the world outside the North East region has just proved it.

In the recently concluded 17th Annual National Conference of Indian Colleges Forum where principals of 40 institutions from all corners of India came together, some were of the opinion that the universities here in the region are Grade‘“B, including the students.

Principal of Nagpur University, Dr. Munghate, while speaking to NNN, stated that the education system followed in this part of the country was outdated. Hence, when people move out of the region, they are beleaguered and become equivalent to Grade-B students.

He defended the statement saying that students here were talented and can prove their merit by sitting through entrance examinations.

Dr Munghate blamed the stringent and outdated ways of functioning and teaching in universities here and the poor infrastructure.

He said the system of marking was what gets students down in grabbing the best colleges and opportunities. The biggest problem with students going to mainland India after completion of their education from here is the percentage. Due to stringent marking patterns set by universities and boards here, scoring 80 percent is considered achievable only by the best. But their counterparts in mainland India have been scoring percentages averaging 90 percent and many scoring 95-98 percent.

Talking on the same line, Dr. Munghate agreed that though students here are talented, if they are unable to sit for entrances exams due to less percentage, talent is wasted as they miss out on the best universities.

Nonetheless, some damage control is being done by the reserve quota system for SC/ST students in many universities outside, he said.

In his university, he said there is quota reserved for students from the North East, but lamented that there still is a large chunk of students without their dreams being able to be fulfilled.

In order to check the marking system, Dr Munghate advised developing the capacity of the pattern of exams. ‘The entire system of education here should change altogether,’ he said.

He maintained that there was a richness of educational levels here, and highlighted the necessity of having add’“on courses like gardening and tourism. This, he said, will increase the field of opportunities for students so that when they move out of mainstream courses, they will have more avenues to venture into.

‘Four hours a day is sufficient to educate students, while in practical matters, five hours is enough,’ he said.

Dr Munghate also said that as transportation in the region is difficult owing to the terrain, universities here should change their timings and reduce the total class house.

‘Just like how in major cities outside the North East where students get to choose between morning, afternoon and evening shifts while making use of additional time left in the day to get themselves employed to generate money and finance fees, students here should also get similar opportunities. This will also restrict them from moving out of state in search of better opportunities,’ he said.

However, on the topic of marking and judging students purely on the basis of mark sheets, he graded students here as falling under Grade’“B category while stating that those in Maharashtra come out with higher percentages.

Also taking a tough stand against some private universities, the heads of institutions stated that such universities were merely money making machines, refraining from adding anything further.

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